Social media platforms are very popular these days. More than half of the world’s population uses social media, thus being connected more than ever. One of the most popular social media networks at the moment is Instagram.

It is filled with diverse content, provides messaging to connect people, has a search tab that helps its users find what they are interested in, and many other features. Using Instagram seems easy, but if you are marketing your business, it isn’t always the case. There are many techniques and things that you could be doing wrong, and if you want to make the most out of Instagram, then here is a guide to learning how to make quality posts and use hashtags.

hashtags

What’s the point of hashtags on Instagram

Instagram hashtags are very powerful and should not be underestimated. With proper hashtags, your posts can reach your target audience, increase engagement, attract new followers in your niche, and strengthen a more recognizable and positive image of your brand. It is essential to know how to use them; otherwise, your hashtags can be less efficient or even counter-productive. Wrong hashtags could annoy your potential followers and even get you penalized by Instagram’s algorithm system. But if you use them wisely, they will make your page go a long way. Think of it this way: there are around 95 million photos posted on Instagram daily, and it is difficult for Instagram to connect the right content with the right people efficiently. This is where hashtags jump in and help your posts become discovered and noticed by viewers interested in seeing them. Hashtags are even more efficient when narrowed to the target audience rather than being too broad. We will discuss that in the next chapter.

Use relevant hashtags

 Now that you know how vital are hashtags, the next step is to understand how to use those relevant for your posts. The first rule is to post hashtags that describe your niche. If you post hashtags that have nothing to do with your business, you are wasting them away. Writing #beautifulphoto while promoting your restaurant won’t do much for your cause. Therefore stick to what your business is all about. The second rule is to narrow your hashtags for a specific, targeted reach. Instead of using #restaurant, try #italianrestaurant or #vegetarianrestaurant, because the first has millions of posts, and yours will be hardly distinguished. Simultaneously, the other two are narrower, and for the crowd that specifically searches them. Don’t forget that your goal is to be seen by the right people that will gladly start following you and interacting with your page. It would help if you also used popular hashtags that your industry is using. Search which ones are trendy at the moment, and wisely use them for the best effect.

Social Media

Quality and layout

Instagram is a visual platform, and you have to catch the eyes of your page’s viewers and followers. This is why quality matters, and you have to make sure your pictures look astonishing. Although nothing is perfect, push towards perfection, edit your photos, remove anything that looks bad or is blurred. On the other hand, keep technical things simple, let your smartphone do all the work, photographing, editing (you have numerous editing apps), and in the end – posting your content. For layouts, you have The Instagram Layout app, which is excellent for making interesting montages, especially if you want to publish a sequence of photos or display a step-by-step guide. Another great and free tool is Canva which can help you create your own neat Instagram Stories.

Use stories

This is another essential element of your marketing strategy. These days, stories have become a priority for Instagram and are in the class of the most popular types of content at the moment. It seems that users cannot get enough of this time-delicate “self-destruct” form of content. Additionally, new features like Stories ads strengthen the signal that Instagram wants brands on board with this trend. If your goal is to bolster engagement, focus on publishing regular Stories. Next to posting photos and videos on your stories, you can use it for much more interaction with your audience through polls, questions, and emoji slider stickers. Along with the interaction itself, your audience will give you much-needed feedback and in a fun way, especially if you find a way to engage them. The other beauty of stories is that no one expects them to be polished like photos on your feed, and through these, they can see the real you. With all this being said, don’t sleep on Stories. 

Ultimately, you want to get the best advice possible and use all the best tools at your disposal. If you want to grow your brand faster, not only should you make sure your hashtag game is on point, but consider using an Instagram growth service to really kick everything into overdrive and get that follower count up fast.